Method of handling starch mixture



D. H. BENJAMIN.

METHOD OF HANDLING STARCH MIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 191?. RENEWED NOV. 12,1921.

,mmz'm Patentedhme 6,1922;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

D. H. BENJAMIN.

METHOD OF HANDLING STARCH-MIXTURE.

APPLICATION men SEPT 10, 1917. RENEWED NOV. 12, 1921.

1,418,275. Patented June 6, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

% MYM%W v D. H. BENJAMIN.

METHOD OF HANDLING STARCH MIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1917. RENEWED NOV. 12. 1921.

Patented June 6, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- m M w D. H. BENJAMIN.

METHOD OF HANDLING STARCH MIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1911. RENEWED NOV. 12. I92!- 1,418,275'

Patented June 6, 1922.

- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.[272/"55201'. v I I J ZZ/ya.

x D. H. BENJAMIN. METHOD OF APPLICATION FILED SEPT 10. 1917.

HANDLING STARCH MIXTURE.

RENEWED NOV. 12. I921.

Patented June 6; 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT omen.

DANA H. BENJAMIN, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY. OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF HANDLING STARCH MIXTURE.

Application filed September 10, 1917, Serial No. 190,675. Renewed November 12, 1921. Serial N 0. 514,823.

ing warp or yarn, or to machines for starching any kind of, fabrics, material or articles.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved method according to which the starch is properly cooked without the formation of lumps or solid masses; is readily mixed in any desired proportions either as a solution of cooked starch in water alone or as a mixture of raw and cooked starch; whereby said mixture may be cooked to any desired temperature and thoroughly creamed to the proper consistency;-whereby the creamed mixture can be maintained in the proper condition both as to temperature and consistency for producing the best starching results; and finally whereby the prepared starching mixture may be continuously sup-plied to the starching machine under uniform conditions to thereby secure improved results in the work.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a method of the character described which can be carried out with comparatively simple apparatus and in a manner to require only slight attention on the part of the operator. I

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and inpart will appear more in detail hereinafter. J

The inventioncomprises the severalstepshereinafter described and;

Specification of Letters Patent.

a detail cross section on the line 9-9 Fig.

7; -Fig.'1O is a detail cross section of a spraying device; Fig. 11 is a perspective view from the inside, of the upper portion of the mixing tank, and showing a modified'form of spraying device; Fig. 12 is a horizontal section thereof; Fig. 13 is a section on the line 1313, Fig. 12; and Fig. 14 is a detail section, showing another form of spraying and straining device; and Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view showing another form of starching machine.

Briefly described, the method forming the subject matter of my invention consists in properly mixing, coo-king and creaming or beating the starch mixture in a suitable vessel or tank, bringing it to the proper working temperature for the particular duty on hand by either cooling the mixture or supplying additional heat thereto as maybe necessary, correcting any departure from theproper temperature; and simultaneously circulating the mixture from said vessel or tank to and from the starching machine, so as to maintain the starch mixture in said machine in the pro-per condition .both as regards temperature and consistency and produce the most efi'ective starching results. Preferably the mixture is circulated to and from the starchingmachine simultaneously with the circulation of a stream of said mix ture from said vessel or tank through a suitable temperature correcting device in a man-.

nor to. cream or. beat the mixture to the desired consistency, correct departures from normal temperature of the mass and maintain the desired condition of the mixture. A duplex circulation of the mixture is also carried out, in other words, part of the mixture is continuously circulated from the vessel or tank to the starching machine and re-. turned while the balance of the mixture is circulated in the vessel or tank or from the 1 latin recting device, consequently reducing to. a minimum any liability of the mixture in the starching machine departing from the proper working condition.

The method of preparing the mixture and the apparatus required. for its preparation may be similar to those described in my 00- pending application for method of reparing starch, filed of evendate herewlth, Serial Number 190,677 to which reference may be had for a more completr description thereof. This method consists in introducing into a proper vessel or container suflicient raw starch and water to form the cooked starch solution. Preferably the starch is mixed with a portion of water before introducing it into said vessel, the re maining portion of the water being introduced to said vessel as required during the cooking operation, experience and practice serving best to determine the relative quantities of starch and water. In'said vessel the starch mixture is cooked to expand the granules, preferably by the introduction of steam or other suitable heating medium to said vessel, while at the same time the mixture therein is agitated to keep it in motion so as to avoid the formation of lumps or solid masses. This may be accomplished by causing the steam itself toproduce a circumotion of the starch mixture in said vesse for example a swirling motion of said mixture in the vessel mixture such as to cause it to rise along the walls of the vessel and flow downwardly along its axis'toreplace the material forced upwardly. The steam supply to the vessel is maintained until the starch is sufficiently cooked, and the agitation or swirling of the prevents the formation of lumps or masses.

When-the starch is sufliciently cooked it is thoroughly creamed so as to give it the proper consistency for use in starching goods or the like. For example, if the goods to be starched are yarn or warp threads which can be treated with starch mixture at a relatively high temperature, say 200 Fahrenheit the mixture may be creamed without the addition of raw starch thereto, whether at or above the temperature for cookin or below the same. -If the goods are collars, cu-fi's, shirts or the like which require the starch at a temperature of 100 or so, the mixture may be allowed to cool by standing, but is preferably subjected to the effect of a cooling medium, such as cool water, either by circulating the water through pipes passing through the vessel, or as shown herein, by

circulating the hot starch mixture through a su table coollng device, through which the cooling water also flows. At the sametime .the mixture can be creamed to obtain or give 1t the proper consistency, WhlCh is accomplished by withdrawing the mixture from the lower portion of the cooking vessel and reintroducing it into said vewel through fine jets.

Where a mixture of cooked and raw starch is to be supplied to the articles to be treated at a low temperature say 100 Fahrenheit, the initial batch of cooked mixture is cooled as before described and the proper quantity of raw starch mixed with water is introduced to the cooking vessel. The mixture of cooked and raw starch' is then circulated through the creaming device to bring it to the proper consistency.

With either a cooked starch solution or a mixture of cooked and raw starch the temperature of the mixture is maintained as near as possible at the proper point toproduce the best results by either cooling sald mixture or supplying additional heat thereto from 'time to time as may be required.

The complete apparatus, suitable for use in supplying the mixture to the starching machine may be of the kind described and claimed in my copending application for apparatus for handling starch mixture, filed of even date herewith Serial Number, 190,676. Said apparatus comprises a tank or reservoir A in which the starch mixture is mixed, cooked and creamed, a temperaturecorrecting device B serving to heat or cool the mixture as desired, to give it the proper temperature, a storage reservoir C, a starching machine D, and a pump-E for circulating the starch mixture through the various parts of the apparatus, all of said parts being connected up by suitable pipes or conduits as will more fully appear.

The starching machine D requires only a brief description. It maybe any suitable machine for supplying the starchmixture to any fabric or article to be starched, such as collars, cufis, shirts or other garments, table linen or the like. One such machine is shown conventionally in the drawin s merely for the purpose of illustration. lt

comprises a suitable reservoir 1 in which are a series of rollers 2 spaced around the lower resents an apron travelingover the rolls 5. one portion of said apron traveling between the rolls 2 and drum 3 and serving to carry the articles to be starched from one end of the machine .down between the rollers and drum' and therefore through the starch mixture to the-delivery end of the machine. The level of the starch in said reservoir is main tained uniform at substantially the level 6, either by having the sup-ply pipe 7 for delivering the starch mixture to said machine below the level of the discharge pipe 8, or by providing in the supply pipe a valve which is automatically opened and'closed by a float in the starch mlxture; in the same manner as the level of Water is maintained in a closet flushing tank, or in other suitable manner, as will be readily understood.

Fig. 15 illustrates another form of starching machine known as a slasher, for applying starch to warp, yarn or threads. These threads are led from a roll 65 over rolls 66 through the starch mixture in a reservoir 67 and thence to the receiving roll 68. The starch mixture flows to the machine through the pipe 7 and is discharged through pipe 8*, as in the starching machine before described;

Storage reservoir C is a small tank, preferably of, suitable capacity ;to hold at one time all, or a lar e part of the mixture in the entire system. t is provided with a supply pipe 9 and a discharge pipe 10 at its bottom.

Both the starching machine D and the storage reservoir C communicate with the starch preparing tank A and temperature correcting device B, and as the material flowing away from both the starching machine and storage reservoir is conducted to the same point, the discharge pipe 10 from the storage tank maylead directly, by way of a valve 11 to the discharge pipe 8 from" the starching machine, although this is not essential.

The mixing and cooking reservoir A may be of any suitable construction or design, but preferably isof the form shown in a prior application of Ernest W. Miller for starch preparing apparatus, filed Aug. 21, 1916, Serial No. 116,074, to which reference may be had for a more complete description of said apparatus, all of the features of which may be employed in the present construction if desired.

As illustrated said cooking and mixing reservoir comprises a suitable tank having a hopper bottom 12 whose walls converge toward the central openin 13 and whose top is closed by a cover 14 having a vent opening 15 through which steam may escape but which prevents loss of the starch mixture by splashing or spattering. The bottom central opening 13 of the reservoir communicates with two pipes or conduits one of which marked 16, is connected to the suction side of a suitable flow producing device, such as a centrifugal pump 17. In said pipe is a valve 18 which regulates the flow of mixture from the tank to the pump as desired. The return pipe from the starching machine and storage reservoir, or two distinct return pipes one from the starching machine and the other from the storage reservoir if desired, are also connected to the suction side of 'said pump, preferably communicatingwith the pipe 16 between the valve 18 and the pump 17 The second pipe communicating with the open in 13, marked 19, is connected by way of a va vs 20 to a suitable source of water supply, such as the conduit 21.

The lower portion of the tank surrounding the opening 13 is a metal casing cored out to form a chamber 22 communicating by way of a hollow passage 23 with a pipe 24 having a valve 25 and leading to a source of steam supply, such as the conduit 26 and also with a series of injector nozzles 27 disposed tangentially around the circumference of the tank and inclined upwardly. Each of said nozzles extend partly through a hollow sleeve or tube 28 on the casing, the arrangev to thoroughly circulate the starch mixture in the reservoir and cook the starch granules, causin them to expand and produce the starch solution, as will be readily understood. By gradually adding the starch to the rapidly circulating heated mixture the starch may be cooked without the formation of I lumps or solid matter.

The pump 17 may be of any suitable form and may be driven in any suitable manner. It is illustrated as a rotar centrifugal pump connected to the fast an 29, 30. The discharge end of said pump communicates with a pipe 31 leading to the bottom of the temperature correcting de-' vice B illustrated in detail in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 and through which the starch mixture flows to the outlet pipe 32.

The upper and lower ends of said temperature correcting device are of substantially identical form. It comprises an outer cas ing or jacket 33 connecting twoaheads .34 which are sleeved and packed upon hollow end members 35' connected by the nest of tubes 36 communicating with the pipes 31 and 32 before referred to so that the starch mixture flows through said ipes 36. The mixture flowing through said pipes may be either heated or cooled to correct its tem perature to any desired point by circulating the proper medium through the space 37 within the jacket 33 and surrounding pipes 36. communi'cates'with a pipe 38 connected by way of a valve 39 to the steam conduit 26 and also by way'of valve'40 to the water supply pipe 21. The upper head 34 com- -municates with a pipe 40 which may lead loose belt pulleys.

For this purpose the lower head 34 around the pipes 35 carryin the starch mixconduct. the starch mixture selectively to one is illustrated in Fig. 10 as a hollow cap 43 or more of three different places, to wit: into the upper portion of the cooking and mixing chamber, to the starching machine, or to the storage reservoir or to any two or more thereof. As illustrated, the outlet pipe 32 communicates by way of a valve 41 with a pipe 42 passing in through the walls of the mixing tank andterminating in a suitable beatin or screening device, one form of which threaded upon the end of the provided with a large number 0 or openings 44 therein.

When the starch solution has been thoroughly cooked and mixed, as above described, the steam supply through the pipe 24 is pipe 42 and small ports turned off, the water supply to the chamber 37 of the temperature correcting device around the pipes 36 isturned on and the mixture in the tank is circulated or bypassed from the starch mixer to the cooler and back again. When the solution has been. cooled to a temperature low enough so as it will no longer cook the starch, say 130 Fahrenheit, the raw starch to be introduced into the mixture is placed within the mixing chamber. The circulation is then continued for a sufficient length of time to cream the mixture and give it the desired consistency. During all of this time, and in fact at all times when any portion of the apparatus is in use the temperature is maintame'dfairly closely at the desired point by circulating either water or steam through the temperature correcting device to cool or heat the mixture as may be re uired.

igs. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate a modified form of nozzle for delivering the mixture to the mixing tank. It comprises a hollow casing 45 of Y form one of whose branches terminate in a nozzle 46 like that in Fig. 10,

while the other branch carries a series of screens 47 held in place by a cap or cover 48. A valve 49 operated by handle 50 enables the mixture to be delivered to either branch. Screens 47 filter the mixture and are useful in mixing the cooked starch before adding the raw starch, to remove the lumps. The same result can be secured'by the straining device shown in Fig. 14, which is a cloth or fabric bag 51 secured by a ring 52 to a fitting 53 adapted for connection to the pipe 42.

, A thermometer 54 may be placed anywhere in the line, for example, at the outlet from the temperature correcting device to indicate the temperature of the mixture. The second branch of the outlet pipe 32 of the tempera- ,tnre correcting. device is the pipe 7 communithrough this pipe is regulated so as to supply sufficient material to maintain in the starching machine a constant level of material flowing through the starching machine in suflicient quantity to produce no material drop in temperature therein. The balance of the mixture is-delivered into the upper portion of the starch mixer. The pump draws its supply from both the bottom of the starchmixer and also from the starching machine, all-of the material being circulated through the temperature correcting device. Consequently by proper manipulation of the valves in the water and steam supplies to the temperature correcting device, the temperature of the mixture delivered to the starching machine may be maintained substantially uniform, at least within very close limits, as only a portion of the material flowsthrough the starching machine and variations in the temperature of that portion of the mixture have little efi'ect upon the larger quantity of mixture flowing through the mixing and cooking reservoir.

It is of course understood that a system of this kind can be utilized for delivering starch mixture'to any desired number of independent starching machines, either-by circulating the mixture serially or in order through said machines, or by providing an independent pipe for conducting the mixture from the temperature correcting device to each of said machines and'thenback to the pump. 1 l

In starching warp or yarn in a slasher as above described, the starch mixture is circulated'to the slasher at a relatively high temperature, say 200 Fahrenheit, and no raw starch is added to the mixture after the first cooking operation. For other classes of work, for example, in starching shirts or collars, the mixture is circulated to the starching machine at a lower temperature, say 100 Fahrenheit, in which case a mixture containing both cooked and raw starch can be used.

.If forany reason, it is desired to discontinue operation of the machine the supply thereto .can be turned off and the mixture allowed-to flow. toand through the storage tank C, thereby in effect, substituting the storage tank for the starching machine without disturbing the relative quantities of mixture circulated through the m xing tank and elsewhere. Also the pipe 9 permits all of the material in the system to be pumped to the storage tank, in which it can be allowed to remain over night or while the rest of the system is cleaned out.

The apparatus is also preferably so'arranged as to be self cleaning and draining.

For example, the steam supply pipe 26 isconnected by way of a valve 57 and pipe 58.

' ture to starching machines, consisting in cirto the pipe 31 communicating with the bottom of the temperature -correcting device. In the pipe 58 is a non-return check valve 59 seating away from the pipe 31. By opening valve 57 steam may be introduced into the bottom of the temperature correcting device for blowing or cleaning out the "starch line and. the pipes and tubes in the temperature correcting device. The bottom of the mixing chamber also communicates with a pipe 60, in which is a valve 61. This pipe leads to the sewer and enables the contentsof the mixing tank to be discharged thereto. The outlet pipe 10 which carries the cooling water away from the temperature correcting device may also be connected to this pipe 60, as well as a pipe 62 having a. valve 63 communicating with the steam supply pipe 26, which enables any water of condensation to be conveyed to the drain and not circulated through the apparatus.

The method described enables the starch mixture to be properly prepared with the desired composition, temperature and "consistency and enables it to be supplied continuously for use in a starching machine in a manner to produce uniformity and the best results.

What I claim is 1. The method of supplying starch mixture to starching machines, consisting in agitating the mixture in a vessel, simultaneously circulating a portion of said mix-- ture from said vessel to the starching machine and back again, and simultaneously correcting any departure of the mixture said starching machine, and simultaneously beating or creaming the mixture.

3. The method of supplying starch mixculating the mixture continuously through said starching machine, simultaneously beating or creaming the mixture, and at the same time correcting any departure of the mixture from normal temperature.

4. The method of preparing starch mixture and supplying the same to starching machines, consisting in cooking the starch in a vessel, circulatin the cooked mixture through said vessel in a manner to beat or cream the same, (and simultaneously with said circulation conducting a portion of the mixture to the starching machine.

5. The method of preparing starch mixture and supplying the same to starching machines, consisting in cooking the starchmixture in a vessel, circulating the mixture through said vessel in a manner to beat or cream the same, and simultaneously with said circulation circulating a portion of-the mixture to and from the starching machine.

6. The method of preparing starch mixture and supplying the same to starching machines, consisting in cooking the starch mixture in a vessel, circulating the mixture through said vessel in a manner to beat or cream the same, and simultaneously with said circulation circulating a portion of the mixture to and from the starching machine and at the same time-correcting any departure of the mixture from the normal temperature.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DANA H. BENJAMIN. 

